On Tuesday and Wednesday, Lithuanian capital Vilnius hosted a two-day NATO summit. Slovak President Zuzana Caputova emphasised the importance of NATO membership for Slovakia: "The summit has brought an unprecedented level of protection for our citizens. We have approved new defence plans. After today, it will be clearer who, when and in what way would help protect us in the event that our security or territorial integrity are violated."
Caputova also pointed out that Spain plans to send its soldiers to Slovakia next year as part of the advanced presence and the mandate approved by the Slovak Parliament, thus replacing the Czech Republic in command: "This is important and good news, as Spanish troops would be immediately available on NATO's eastern flank in the event of a threat to Slovakia."
According to the president, Slovakia confirmed at the summit its commitment to invest two percent of GDP in the country's defence: "I think that in a situation where we have a war next door, this is an absolutely logical step and it helps our defence to be much more capable."
President Caputova also stated in response to the decision of the United States to send cluster ammunition to Ukraine that Slovakia is part of the Convention on Cluster Munitions and Slovak position on this issue is therefore clear. The Convention prohibits all use, transfer, production, and stockpiling of this type of munition. She added that this issue was not discussed at the talks of the NATO member countries leaders at which she was present at the summit.
According to Foreign Affairs Minister Miroslav Wlachovsky, NATO represents the best security guarantee for Slovakia: "The summit proved that NATO represents the best security guarantee for Slovakia. Anyone who considers other alternatives is messing with the strategic interests of the state.”
Wlachovsky described the two-day summit as historic in terms of its expansion by Finland and soon also by Sweden as well as in terms of the introduction of a new format for negotiations with Ukraine via the NATO-Ukraine Council.
Slovak Defence Minister Martin Sklenar highlighted that new modern defence plans werebagreed upon at the summit: "We have modern plans that will help us better defend the eastern flank and every square centimetre of the alliance. It is good news for Slovakia. The Allies are united in that they will respond to any attack that would take place against any country.”
Source: TASR
